Fire-escape.



No. 637,&78. Patented Nov. 28, 39`9.4

F. M. LEPOBE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed July 29, 1899.)

(No Model.) 4 2 smu-sheet Pateted Nov. 28, !899.

F. M. LEPORE.

FIRE ESGAPE.

(Application filed July 29, 1899.)

2 Shaats-heet 2.

(No Model.)

NrrED STATES ATENT mea FELIX MARION LEPORE, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

FlRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Nd. 637,87s, datd November 28, 1899. Application filed July 29, 1899, Serial No. 7251494. (No model.)

To cZZ whom, it may con/067%.-

Be it knownthat I, FELIX MARION LEPORE, a citizen ot' the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form'a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes; and the objects of myinvention are, first, to provide a fire-escape by which people can descend from a burning structure by the gravity of their weight and with which the speed of descent can be controlled by the person descending, and, second, to provide a simple, cheap, and strong fire-escape that can be Secured and kept ready for use at suitable windows of hallways androoms of buildings. I attain these ohjects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which* Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of my improved fire-escape online A of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of my improved fireescape. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a fragment of a building, showing the application of my fire-escape. Fig. 4: is a perspective View of the casin g and canopy which inclose and support the fire-escape, and Fig. 5 a fragment of a non-combustible rope.

Similar figures of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a boX-shaped casing which is open at two of its ends. In this box and at its side I journal on the axle 2 a drum3, which has a flange 4 at one end and a brake-flange 5 at the opposite end. From the surface of the drum, near the fianges, two ciroular rows of strong pins 6 radiate. These projecting pins are spaced a short distance apart and should be formed integral with or be rigidly Secured to the drum. A brake 7, which is provided with a shoe portion 8, is pivoted by a bolt 9 at one end to the side of the box adjacent to the brake-flange and bears operatively on the brake-flange. 4 The opposite end of the brakelever contains' a ring 10, in which one end of a rope 11 is secured. The rope hangs naturally from the lever when the escape is in use'. On the drum I place an endless rope-ladder device 12, arranging the rounds 13 at a distance apart that will enable two or more of them to pass between and engage the projecting pins 6. This ladder device comprises endless non-combustible ropes 14. These ropes are preferably made of wire and covered with non-combustible material, such as asbestos,

or they can be construeted of any suitable Vegetable fiber and covered with a non-combustible material lt The rounds may be constructed ol" the same material as the ropes or they may be made of iron rods. The ronnds are Secured rigidly to the ropes in any suitable nanner, and both the ladder device and the brake-rope are made long enough to reach to the ground from the window at which they are placed. The axle of the drum projects through the casing and to both its ends I secure rigidly angle-shaped arms 15 and 15 The drum should be turned so that these arms will stand Vertically and pointupward when the ladder is not in use, and the brake-rope is coiled around the arm 15 and the ladder is coiled over the arm l so that they will rest on the Vertical portions 16 of each arm. Then When they are required for use a half turn of the drum will precipitate them, and they can be thrown out of a window and are ready for use. The casing and escape are Secured over the top of a window in halls or in a room or ofice, as shown in Fig. 3, and in order that it may present a tasty appearance a canopy 17, ofcloth, is secured to a projecting supporting-rod 18, which is attached to the top of the casing. The canopy can be gathered at the bottom and looped over a button 19, Secured to the lower edge of the easing. In order that the ladder will not bear against the window-sash, I place a roller 20 trans- Versely across the window, securing it by snit able brackets 21 to the window-casing or to the wall, and in order that the downmoving side of the ladder will not bear and run on the edge of the window-sill, and also in order that the two sides of the ladder may not rnb against each other, I separate them and hold the outside side from the window-sill by a IOO roller 22, which is supported by suitable brackets 23, one of which contains a Vertical slot 24:, `which allows one end of the roller to be raised out of the bracket and be inserted between the opposite sides of the ladder. The brackets are secured to the wall 25. By this means the outside part of the ladder, which is the side that carries the weight of a person down, contacts with both rollers, while the slack side can run over the edge of the window-sill, under the roller.

The operation is as follows: The ladder and breke-rope are normally coiled on the arms at the side of the casing, and in case of a fire the drum is turned, which allows the ladder and brake-rope to drop to the floor. The lower sash 2 is then raised and the ladder is thrown out, and one end of the roller is raised out of the slotted bracket and inserted between the opposite sides of the ladder. Of 'course the ladder would not be inoperative if it were thrown over the roller and left there, but it would run with considerable friction, as the sideswould rub on each other in passing over it. A person wishing to escape from the building by it then steps on the window-sill 27 and grasps the brake-rope with one hand and pulls down hard enough to apply the brake, and then grasps the outside side of the ladder with the other hand and steps on the nearest round and releases the pull on the brake-rope until his weight allows the ladder to rotate the drum which it does as the spokes engage the pins and hold it from slipping, thereby allowing the endless ladder to roll on it at the same speed that the brake allows the drum to turn and lower the person to the ground, the speed of the descent being governed by the control the person descend ing maintains on the brake.

While I have shown but one brake-lever and one brake-fiange, my invention contemplates a flange at each end and a compound brake instead of the simple brake, in both places if necessary.

My invention is Very simple, cheap, and easily applied to buildings, and the use of a non-combustible covering for a rope prevents flames from destroying the ladder or brake rope.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a fire-escape adapted to be placed over windows, the combination of the boX-shaped casing, the drum rotatively mounted on a suitable axle thereon, an endless rope ladder mounted to roll on said drum as it rotates, means including projections for preventing said ladder from slipping on said drum, a brake-flange and brake lever and shoe operatively connected to said drum, a brake-controlling rope depending from said brake-lever along the 'side of said ladder, vertical arms secured to normally support said rope and ladder in disuse and rollers arranged to guide and support said ladder and rope through windows and over their sills when in operative position and use, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FELIX MARION LEPORE.

Witnesses:

BESSIE THoMPsoN, ARTHUR COOPER.

II e I x\ v 

